gap year stress Forum

[texasreznikoff]

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[MarkfromWI]

You forgot option D, which is take the great job requiring a two year commitment and bail after 1 year if you get your desired outcome in the admissions game.

ETA: My vote is for option D.

[texasreznikoff]

the problem with option D is that i really don't want to burn any bridges with this employer. i could conceivably wind up applying for a job with them after law school and my experiences there will probably be a key piece of my app.

[DKM]

You and I are in very similar positions. I just got offered a great position (first undergrad job) through an acquaintance of mine, and the guy I talked to said he would expect a commitment of 3-5 years. This throws a wrench into my plans but I could use the experience and am contemplating applying to part-time programs. Is that an option for you OP? Also what are some examples of these 1 year office jobs you mentioned?

[somethingElse]

Why can't you retake? And I would recommend meditation to deal with stress.

[texasreznikoff]

i've already taken the LSAT 3x (one slightly lower score, one cancel). i know, i know: so dumb. and i actually don't have any concrete 1-year examples yet but i'm sure there's something i can do other than americorps or min wage work that doesn't really strengthen my resume much but gets the job done, financially speaking.

ETA: i've never really considered part-time before but idk if it would work for me since my 2-year dream jobs are in NYC and i won't get into NYU or Columbia with my stats.

[somethingElse]

Gotcha. Well you could potentially do option C and still retake, right? That could be a good way to go. Otherwise I vote A. But it also depends on how great this 2 year job would be versus the job you'd get in option A. Also it depends on your long-term career goals. Because retaking might not be that worthwhile depending on what those are.

[eagle2a]

option d sounds good to me

[Barack O'Drama]

Gotcha. Well you could potentially do option C and still retake, right? That could be a good way to go. Otherwise I vote A. But it also depends on how great this 2 year job would be versus the job you'd get in option A. Also it depends on your long-term career goals. Because retaking might not be that worthwhile depending on what those are.

I also think it comes down to these two. Option D might be something, but I am really against burning bridges.

[Clearly]

Option d without a doubt

[lavarman84]

Take the two-year job if you think it's great. You might end up liking it enough to not go to law school. If you don't, you'll have to decide whether to burn the bridge and apply after a year or wait the full two years.

[somethingElse]

Option D is a dick move IMO.

[Jordan Catalano]

Don't do Option D. Why work for an entire year in a place you won't get a recommendation from? The fact that it could stifle your post-law school plans makes Option D even worse.

[TLSModBot]

Option D and it isn't even close. People leave jobs early all the damn time for a variety of reasons and it doesn't "burn bridges" provided A. you don't promise any kind of tenure there in writing and B. you're not a dick about it when you bail.

If it's at will employment, they can fire you at a moment's notice for no damn reason; it's just business and you owe them no greater obligation.

[Tiago Splitter]

I'll recommend Option E) Great job, skip law school

[soj]

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[GFox345]

Unless you are signing a contract for the two-year commitment, there is really nothing that can be done. Take the job, work for one year while letting them know about your eventual law school plans and then do what I did when I found myself in your exact position last year. Tell them that something has come up - a family issue or something to that effect (don't lie about a death or serious illness) - and that you will be heading to school sooner than you initially expected. As long as you are a good employee and give them plenty of notice of your intent to leave, I can almost guarantee that you will be fine.

Full disclosure: I worked for a law firm as a legal assistant in a position that required a two-year commitment. I initially planned to work for the two years, but decided that I wanted to attend after getting a good score on the LSAT and getting into some good schools with money. I was admitted to the school I am currently attending in November and told my employer immediately that I would be leaving at the end of April. I was a good employee, have a very positive relationship with my former boss/attorneys/other co-workers, and when I asked the HR director point-blank about whether or not breaking the two-year "commitment" would be a black mark on my personnel file should I attempt to find a job at that firm after law school (which I will), he said that it was common practice to leave before the two-years were over and that the commitment is really just a way to allow the firm to strategically hire and train a given employee's replacement. I gave almost six months notice of my impending departure and was able to have a very involved role in my replacement's training. When I left, I was very confident that my team would be able to function at a normal level.

Read: You're fine. Just be smart and courteous about it, and nothing bad will happen. Option D.